Airgas appoints president of Airgas Gaspro

October 12, 2004

Airgas Inc. has appointed Jeff Finch as president of Airgas Gaspro, its newest regional company operating in Hawaii. Airgas Gaspro became the company's 13th regional company when it completed the acquisition of BOC's U.S. packaged gas business, including all operations in Hawaii.

Finch, who served as division vice president in the company's West Division for the last six years, has more than 15 years' experience with the company in regional, divisional, and corporate leadership roles. For most of 2004, he led the integration efforts in Hawaii to bring the BOC Gaspro team into the Airgas organization.

Before becoming division vice president in 1998, Finch served three years as hub president in Houston, one of the predecessors to Airgas Southwest. Before joining the company in 1989, he served as a certified public accountant with Aldridge, Borden and Co. PC and held financial roles with a large contracting firm, Boyd International Ltd.

Finch now leads an organization with more than 125 employees, nine retail stores, and six cylinder fill plants. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of South Alabama.